Becoming Of Brothers
by HitachiinxLover
Summary: Post-finale. Rated T for future violence and minor language. With an unsettling conflict rising in the Fire Nation, Zuko tries to deal with the rebellion beginning to form. But with the world trying to recover, where can he find help? Zukka Friendship.
1. Long Roads Ahead

**Actual Important Notes Of Win: **Okay! I've got really exciting news for everybody! [Hoping it's good news]

This is my first story [Technically, my third, but ignore that part owO] that I'm going to put some serious work into. I'm going to work at it, and work at it hard. I have a problem with consistancy, because the moment I start a story, I end up losing interest and moving on. But this one sort of just settled in my mind after I've been listening to some inspiring music. So after a bit of debate, I decided to push forward. It's always good to try new things, and this way, I'm not attacking with a whole load of one-shots. O.o I also thought that I can really challenge my abilites, and show what I got.

I'm hoping what I've got is good, though. The first chapter [annoyingly Dx] Is the longest, but I hope if you think this is good, and can bear with me, that I can push forward and continue. This is what's going down: With the world caught up in its own problems, Zuko finds it hard to enlist anybody's help in stopping a large, unsettling dispute within the Fire Nation. He seeks out to make it a two-man entourage in order to deal with this. Going to one of his newest friends, he hopes to stop this. Even though tough times lay ahead, there is always a lending hand that will be there to stick it through like true family.

Owo There's the better summary, in case the one I leave on the front is confusing. I hope you enjoy, and read on!

* * *

Rhythmic patters of footsteps repeated a pattern in the small battle ship, constant chatter of guards, navigators, and scribes filled in any possible silence throughout the metal hull as the tension in the air weighed over them.

"Your highness!"

A soldier exclaimed, throwing himself at the Fire Lord's feet. When he was aloud to rise, his features were etched with nothing but stress and panic, hands shaking and legs trembling as he attempted to stand back up. "We're worried!"

"What happened? Did they take another city?"

"No! No! None of that!" He shook his head, waving his hand dismissively. "We're concerned that your choice in a surprise attack may be too rash."

"I know it's not the smartest thing to do." He agreed, knowing the consequences of the choice in entourage. "But, we can't risk sending the Imperial Firebenders, either. The rebellion might take this as an offense and march faster toward the capital city. Plus, if they lose, word will take too long, and we won't be updated."

"Of course, your highness." The nervous man nodded slowly, unable to argue. There was no denying the cons of sending them in, but there was plenty to refute against. "If you go with only one other person, though, you may perish, and the Fire Nation will fall."

The newly announced Fire Lord nodded, terse. All throughout the past two days, they had been warning him of what dangers lie ahead. He knew, however, that if he were to only send troops, and that if they were to fail, he would end up watching his country fall, and he wouldn't be able to stop them.

"I understand your concern." Zuko let out a long sigh. "But you don't need to worry. Who I'm taking with me is more than capable."

"I'm certain he is, sir." The new topic left the soldier at more unease. It had been rattling his mind the moment his Lord announced it. Of all the people to choose…

"But, what of the Avatar? What about the young Waterbender? Or maybe even the blind Earthbender? They are all very strong benders, and can easily help you on this mission."

"Aang and Katara are at the North pole. The route there is longer, and more treacherous. Besides that, they're trying to reconcile the two tribes together. Toph is just barely heading back home. She doesn't need to be bothered." The former prince glanced over to the wall before a small, but reassured smile appeared on his features.

"Even as good as they are, I need somebody who can read a map, make up plans, and hold their own. There's only one person I know that can do that."

"But, sir!" The solder piped in once more. He knew there was a better choice, there had to be! He wasn't aware of anything that the warrior was capable of, except for the fact that he carried a sword that could cut through metal. That served no purpose if he couldn't use it right. "We urge you to reconcile! You could take any of our expert navigators! We have excellent strategizing people, and even the best non-benders in our Nation!"

Mind already set, Zuko stood up and headed over toward the door, hand hesitating on the handle. He turned to try and rest the uneasy mind that the solider had. "You don't need to be so worried."

"He's better than anybody in the Fire Nation."

He opened the door and stepped out, leaving a confused man in his slump of documents and scrolls.

---

Once the ship had arrived at the Southern Water Tribe, all of the occupants rushed out and bowed down as they made a pathway for their leader. After he had gotten down, he dismissed them, and set off to seek out his friend.

Despite the fact that the village was still relatively small, he was hard to locate. Zuko was just glad that he was welcomed there after the war had been over, so nobody paid much heed to him unless he needed something. He asked around, but nobody was able to tell the Fire Lord where he was, until a sudden and loud outburst rang through the small area.

"Alright! Even though you're still fairly young, it's never too early to start learning." Brow perked, the raven set sight to head over to the broken mound of snow that he figured was the watchtower. Behind it was a group of kids and a teenage boy trying to mentor them.

He remembered the story that Katara told him about her brother trying to teach the kids in the village defend themselves and their home. As far as he knew, Sokka was still never able to get them to understand the tactics of defense.

He had tried to hide the smirk that wanted to appear on his face, and interrupted the moment [The kids looked more bored than anything, anyway. He didn't think they'd mind _too _much].

"You're still trying to teach them? The war's been over for months, now."

As soon as his attention was snapped, the kids took this as their chance to flee, and headed off to go play in the snow. The brunette was about to shove the menacing distraction away from his learning center, until the image registered in his head of just who it was.

"Zuko?!?"

Without asking any questions, he ran right over to the raven and [nearly] tackled him to the ground in a hug. "Hey! I'm wearing my robes! Be careful!"

"Oh, right." He pulled away, lopsided grin placed right on his face. "Don't want to get Mister Fancy too dirty."

"Tch." He huffed, brushing himself off. "I just want to get out of here as soon as possible, because it's freezing like mad."

"You're still as impatient as ever." He mused, eyebrow perked. There was a good reason that Zuko, of all people was visiting. He knew it wasn't just for a pleasant hello or a lovely drop-by.

"So, what's been up?"

"Just the usual. Staying up until the sun comes up trying to fight papers, reading to death, and studying up on problems." He shrugged, folding his arms. "Listen, I need a proposition from you."

"What? Girl troubles, too? Aw, Zuko…" He shook his head, placing his hand on the raven's shoulder. "You came all the way here just to ask for advice?"

"You're still an idiot." He rolled his eyes, hand grappling onto the brunette's wrist. He picked up the hand and let it drop back to its original owner.

"Hey, I had to try." He put in, for good measure. "So what's on your mind?"

"There's been a rebellion down in the southern parts of the Fire Nation. About two weeks after the war ended, restlessness has been growing, and there are people who want to see my father come back to power."

"What are they, crazy?" The thought of seeing a [now] powerless man try and sit on the throne again stumped Sokka.

"Well, they probably don't think I'm doing too good of a job."

"Oh, please" He waved his hand, dismissing such a thought. "I'm sticking to the fact that they're out of their minds."

Even in the intensity of a situation, the brunette still managed to bring humor into it. He couldn't help but chuckle quietly before going on. "Anyway, because of this, they've been getting as many people as possible to join their cause. So far, there are about 700 of them all together."

"Only 700? Well, that's not bad. Why don't you just send your troops in, have them do a little butt-kicking action, and you're good to go?"

"That report was at least two weeks old. I don't have any updates on their numbers."

"Oh…" His face fell slightly. "But, even though that number is outdated, it's nothing that your guys can't handle."

"Maybe, but they're not ordinary people. They've been taking down any village they come across in the colonies, even the ones that don't live in poverty. One wave of troops can easily be toppled by them."

"That bad?" The brunette shook his head. "No way, they could stop them, even though their reputation is horrible. They're probably just a bunch of sissies, anyway."

"They've already taken down the whole Southern part of the Fire Nation. They have a fourth of the East, and they're starting to get to the West. They're getting closer to the capital city every day."

"Seriously?" His features switched from disbelief, to denial, and then back to disbelief again. "But, you could have taken them out before this happened."

"I know." He groaned, not too pleased on his course of action. "I have sent a couple of platoons down, but I never got word back. I thought they were going to stop…and that there were capable people down there that could stop them. But it just went over…and now they're terrorizing my nation."

Sokka was about to question these rather unwise methods, but once he saw the lack of sleep and tension in his friend's features, he quickly dropped it. No way could somebody of his age keep up with all these reports and problems when he was barely keeping up with his own. Trying to restore balance to the world was never going to be easy, but the raven just seemed like he was dumping everybody's headaches on him.

"How come you didn't ask for help? You know anybody from the Earth Kingdom or Water Tribe would assist you."

His face twisted in displeasure. "I…didn't think of it. I know, I'm already doing a bad job, and I've only been in for seven months."

"Well, you're only 16. Handling all of those responsibilities is tricky enough. You could have asked Aang, too."

"He's been too busy. He's got his own troubles. He and Katara have been in the Northern Water Tribe, signing treaties. Some people there still don't like the Fire Nation, and since they're so desolate, their economy is starting to take a sharp decline. They can hardly trade or get goods from anywhere else."

Disbelief took over once more. "Okay…so let me get this straight. The Northern Water Tribe is tied up in troubles, Aang is busy, and you can't send troops because you think they'll be defeated?"

"Sorta. It's that, and I'm sending them all around to help out villages that need help. Especially to Ba Sing Se. I don't have a lot of them, left. Everybody is just too wound up. The effects of the war haven't even come close to leaving. We're still on the beginning steps."

The raven paused, and then gave out a shaky breath. "I'm about ready to throw this crown somewhere and run away. I don't think I can handle it, anymore.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up." The brunette raised his hand back up, placing it on his shoulder in comfort. "What you do is hard enough. I say you're keeping up pretty well."

"But, the rebellion-"

"Is going to get a good old-fashioned smack down." He smirked, and spread the confident infection to Zuko, reverberating the same twist in the lips. "Now…"

"What's your plan?"

"An entourage."

"With who?"

"Who else?" He raised his brow, smirk growing a little more.

"What?" He blinked in surprise, taking his thumb and jabbing it at himself. "Me? Uh…you realize I don't have the 'magic water' skills, right?"

"I've been informed."

"Then-"

"I need somebody who's really good at reading maps and creating plans in a heartbeat…Even if most of them are stupid."

"Hey!" Sokka appeared offended. "They work, I'll have you know!"

"I know they do. And that's why I'm enlisting your help."

"So…it's just me and you, going to go take out a rebellion army of…probably 750? How are we going to do that?"

"The same way you took out a whole fleet of airships in less than two hours."

"Yeah, but, there was only ten of those things! That was barely anything compared to this!"

"What you did was almost suicidal."

"But-!" The brunette was trying to figure out a way to argue against this. Taking those things out was simple. Taking out a large scale army was another thing.

"Well…" The raven gave a false sigh. "I guess you're not as capable as I thought. I'll go find somebody else…" He started to head off back toward the ship.

"What? Oh, hell no." He turned Zuko back around in full swing.

"I thought you didn't want to go…"

"Are you kidding? I was just…acting." The brunette nodded, pleased with his response. "I'm not missing out on taking out these guys with one of my best friends."

He smiled a little, glad that he had help, although it had quickly turned into a frown. "But, I'm warning you now. This is really dangerous. I swear if you even come close to dying I'll make sure you live again long enough for me to kill you personally."

"Well…" He raised his hands, acting offended. "I'll just have to make sure I tough it out then, won't I?" There was a pause, before the both broke out in a smile. "But that means the same goes for you. I'll kick your Fire Lord butt from hell and back ten times over if you even pull that stunt on me."

"Then it's a deal?"

"More than anything." They outstretched their hands, shaking on it, before they decided to close the gap and give another hug. Even though all the jeering humor, Zuko was completely serious. He wasn't going to let anything happen to Sokka. It was too unfathomable.

"And hey, we may not even have to go at it alone. We might be able to enlist help on the way."

"That's true…" The raven nodded, agreeing. Now restless, he started to head back out into the center of the village. "You better pack up. We're going to have a bit of a ride back to the capital."

He nodded, and started to head toward his igloo, before he was stopped by a firm hand to the shoulder. "Oh, by the way…"

"Why were you trying to teach those kids?"

"That? Well, learning to be a warrior is a Water Tribe tradition for boys. Maybe even girls, someday." He shrugged. "Just because the war is over, doesn't mean there won't ever be perfect peace. You have to prepare for the unprepared. Besides, I'm authorized to." He folded his arms, nodding with his eyes closed, as if attempting to look professional.

"I'm sure of that." As his friend turned to get his stuff, he rolled his eyes once more for a good amount of measure.

This was going to be a long trip back…

But, maybe it wouldn't be a bad one.

* * *

**Ending Notes Of Win: **I know. o.O Ending fails. Dx I couldn't fit anything too exciting, but I hope that doesn't stop you from wanting another chapter. Dx I promise, it will get better. I'm doing my best to build tension for all of you excitable readers out there Owo. And now...

Review. o.O I don't want to tell those poor orphans that you won't review just because you're too lazy. Every time you don't review, an orpahn loses a cookie. Do you know how hard it is for those poor orphans to get a cookie? Well, not very easy, I'll tell you what. Owo So please, think of the oprhans. Positive, uplifting reviews and helpful, concrete advice always makes yummy for inspiration. Enjoy, and have a good day!


	2. Invisible Threads

**Awesomesauce Notes Of Importance: **Owo Second chapter. -sniff- I'm so proud. So far, the idea is going strong, and I'm hoping it won't fall apart on me. How often I update is uncertain. I want to keep it level so I don't gauge myself out, but I don't want to wait, because I'm really excitied for what's going to be going down. I'll do my best to keep it level. If I spoil all you lovely readers too much, you might get too fond...-shifty eyes- And now: Plot explanation o.O

This is just a bonding chapter, which is one of the two main focuses in this story. There was a part about somewhat pardoning Ozai's cruelty...because, while, it'd be hard for Zuko or Sokka to easily forgive him, they've been developing a lot in the series, and they're not as grudge-holding as they used to be, so it's a bit iffy, but otherwise owO... I thought it would fit in nicely on their way to the Fire Nation. o.O But don't worry, I've got some other lovely treats for those that like their stories a little...violent. owO Anyway, enjoy!

* * *

The choppy ocean waves hit roughly against the body of the ship, making it jolt upward in a rigid motion. Even as rough as it was, Sokka was not about to let the water best him in trying to catch some sleep.

But the water wanted to win _more _than he did.

To grant itself victory, a larger, and more sharpened wave hit against the bottom of the hull, making the sleeping brunette hit his head against the wall. As soon as he came in contact with the cool metal, he let his pain be known in the form of a loud 'Oof'. Once it came to realization that he had probably had awakened his friend, a tanned hand came to clasp over his mouth, deep cerulean irises examining the area.

"Sorry, Zuko." He whispered, just in case the raven did get a nasty wake-up call, and just in-case he felt the need to barbeque the brunette. But he got nothing in response. No grunt, no mumbles, and no shifts in his movement. Only silence.

Concluding that he was probably just asleep, Sokka started to fix up his blankets in a messy storm of sheets before preparing to hit the hay once more. Just before he was about to lay down, his more properly adjusted eyes didn't see a second form anywhere in the room.

Slightly confused [and maybe curious], the brunette got up and opened the door, hoping that it wouldn't disturb any of the servants or soldiers. Thankful it was a nice enough ship that it [didn't] have an annoying, creaky door, he set himself outside of the room and into the almost maze-like hallway. Even though he had gotten a week and several days of experience with the place, Sokka could never quite figure out where he was going in this crazy place.

Despite that, it was never too hard to figure out where the outside was. He headed straight down the lengthy hallway, careful to pass the sleeping people in silence. After reaching the door that lead to the deck, he opened it a crack, slipped through, and shut it again.

"Hello?" The brunette asked softly, peering around. Once he saw a figure looking out to the side, he easily recognized it as Zuko [There was no way any other person would slump that much] and headed toward it.

"Hey…" He sounded unsure [One was never sure if a person could be even more slump-like than Zuko]. Testing it out, he placed his hand on the figure's shoulder.

"Hey." The raven replied dryly, slowly snapping from his hypnosis with the ocean. "What are you doing out here? I didn't think you'd wake up after I got out."

"What? Oh, I was more unconscious than a tranquilized platypus-bear, but the ride got a little rough and threw me against the wall."

Imagining such a situation made him chuckle slightly, resulting in a jokingly offended brunette. "Hey! That is so not funny." He folded his arms, pretending to be utterly serious. "I could have been injured. What if I hit my head so hard I bled?"

"Somehow, only you could manage that." The raven shot with one of his surprisingly good, witty replies.

The only mature reply Sokka could muster was sticking his tongue out and looking in the other direction, proclaiming victory to himself. In what became an everyday gesture, the raven only rolled his eyes once more, but with more mirth behind it.

"So what did you come out here for?"

"Well, after crashing into the wall, I thought I woke you up, so I apologized. After a moment, I didn't see anybody in the room, so I just figured I'd come outside."

"Good guessing."

"Nah, it's just common sense. Where else are you going to hang out?"

"Well…what if I was going to the bathroom?" He raised a brow, challenging the logic. The brunette only waved his hand dismissively.

"That'd take some really good timing between the time you went to the bathroom and me waking up after crashing."

"Can't argue there." He admitted quietly, gaze switching back to the vast open ocean.

"So what are you doing out here?"

"I couldn't sleep." He lied, hoping his friend was no good at detecting prevarications. Despite the cross in his fingers, his excuse was read right through.

"What? How come?" Zuko let out a breath he was holding, just glad he wasn't caught, except now he would have to be quick to make another excuse.

"Oh…I just couldn't sleep. Haven't you ever had one of those nights where you just can't sleep?"

"Not sleep?" Sokka rolled his eyes toward the sky and tried to remember a single day where he went without sleep. "Well…the only time I haven't been able to sleep was the time when we were being hunted down…" He didn't mention by who, knowing that his sister was a bit of a sensitive subject. "And then the first week after the raid."

The raven glanced over, lips curving into a slight frown. Even long after it happened, the scar could never really ever go away. "Oh…" Was the only word he could form.

"Hey, it's alright." His typically light and humored tone became somber. There was a pause, before the brunette looked up at the nearly full moon. It's soft, translucent light seemed to pay particular attention to the lone ship more than anywhere else.

"It's pretty tonight." The raven complimented. He'd been told the details about what happened during the siege, trying to take a light approach.

"Yeah…"

"Do you still blame yourself for what happened?" A shaky sigh escaped him as he shook his head in uncertainty.

"I don't know. I'm…confused."

"Confused?"

"Yeah…" The brunette stood up, looking over to the ocean. Zuko didn't think anything was more complimentary than the colors between his friend's cerulean hues and the murky blue depths of the water below. They reflected off of each other, almost giving off a soft and sullen aura.

He paused, before an idea struck him. "You know…when my mother ran off after she got banished, and I thought she was dead, I blamed myself."

"What?" His gaze turned away from the choppy tides and onto his friend. "I never knew that."

"Yeah…and I still blame myself. I know she's alive, now, but it's still all my fault. If I was a better heir, my dad wouldn't have wanted to kill me."

The expression that formed on the brunette was that of utter shock. His lips were parted, trying to figure out what to say, and his eyes were unable to focus straightly on his friend. What kind of father would want to kill his own child? A family was a security that gave love and comfort. It sounded like the raven was in a battleground.

After trying to wave off the disturbing notion, Sokka went back to wrapping his mind about the situation presented. "It wasn't your fault, Zuko. I know she did it because she wanted to protect you. You shouldn't have to feel guilty."

The raven paused, and smiled a bit. After it eventually sank in at what he was really getting at, the brunette broke out in a bit of a smile as well. "Then I guess I shouldn't feel guilty, either." A pale hand placed itself on his friend's shoulder.

"She did it to protect you because she cared about you, and no other reason. You don't have to keep knocking yourself down about it."

He nodded, and slumped his shoulders as if a great weight had just been lifted off. He paused, before a serious tone came back over. "But…what you just said…was that true, or were you pulling my leg to make me understand?"

"Sokka, I wouldn't pull your leg like that just to make a point."

His features quickly shot back to disbelief. "Your father…I can't believe he would want to even _consider_ that…"

"It doesn't matter now. It's okay."

The brunette was quick to disagree. "No, Zuko. I don't know what to say about your father…I mean, Aang was right. He's a human being, too. But no parental figure should ever think about doing that to their child."

"I think you're right about him being a human. And thanks to Aang, I understand that. My father grew up misguided by the lies of the Fire Nation…just like so many Fire Lords before him during the war. So I don't think I can particularly hold it against him. I mean, when we were younger…we were just like every other family."

The brunette didn't say anything, but he nodded his head, agreeing. After a moment, he decided to cave in and give out one more confession for the night.

"Hey, Zuko."

"What?"

"I'm about to tell you something a little crazy…I've only told Toph, but I think maybe you should know, too." Attention put completely on the speaker, Sokka began to muster out what was on his mind.

"It's been a long time since that raid…it was the hardest time for me, losing my mother. Now, when I look back…" His voice became softer than the waves that hit the metal hull of the ship. "I can't remember her face. Every time I try, I can only see my sister's."

The confession came as a bit of a shock to the raven, golden-copper eyes widening slightly. "Then I'm going to tell you what I told Katara."

"Your mother was a brave woman."

The brunette paused for a moment, before he offered a light smile. "So was yours."

A long pause came over the two boys, before a sudden realization hit Zuko.

"…Did we just…bond?"

"If you mean by spilling our guts out about personal struggles, then yes, I think we did just bond." The brunette nodded, rubbing his chin in thought. "I guess being cramped on a ship for almost two weeks can do that."

"Be quiet." He elbowed Sokka, but rather _hard._

"Hey! What was that for?"

"Ruining the moment." A small smirk appeared on Zuko's features.

"Oh, you're just horrible." The smirk was infectious, and the brunette had to do it too.

"I know."

"Well…" He yawned, exhausted. He had more shut-eye to catch up on, and was starting to get tired again. "I'm heading to bed. You gonna stay out here longer?"

"Maybe…I'll be in there soon. Just gotta think for a little bit more."

"Alright." Another yawn. "Night." He gave a friendly pat on the raven's shoulder before heading back inside. Zuko looked to the door, studying it with intensity as his thoughts whirled around.

The bonding moment they shared was unlike any other he had with the rest of the group. He considered everybody his friend, but he felt a natural attentiveness to Sokka than to anybody else. He wondered if it was just because they had the chance to get to know each other better, or if maybe some invisible, family-like bond was slowly starting to thread in.

But, was he really that close to the brunette? They were only one year apart, so they had common ground, and easily understood each other where girls, or younger boys didn't. There was a stillness between him and the cool wind before he smiled a little and headed toward the door. The raven stifled a small yawn, knowing he was sleep-deprived. The anxiousness of a battle soon to come was starting to settle in.

He would just have to lay down on it, hoping the threads would tie together the rest.

* * *

**Ending Awesomesauce Notes: **Dx. I seriously can't tie up my endings too well, but there isn't anything to make out of a cliffhanger yet, so my endings may be a bit dry, but I'll do my best to patch it up. o.O In the mean time...

Review. o.O I don't have a good reason for you to click that poor, lonely green button, but, when I think of one...-cackles madly-. O.o Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Positive, upliftiing reviews or helpful, concrete advice never loses its touch. I hope you enjoyed, and have a good rest of the day!


	3. Tortured Departure

**Importantsauce Author Notes: **owO I love these random words. -is a n00b- o.O Anyway, to the point of this!

Now I'm starting to get into the adventure. O.o Took a couple chapters to bring it up to speed there. I know, I know, horrid wait Dx. But! Owo I am so closer to the actiony goodness! I am also closer to the Zukka brotherhood that's just gotta be there. War doesn't prove who's right, only left. And even though it's a bit morbid at times, there does come good things. One of those can be the unbreakable bonds one makes with their friends.

The one part about Zuko's little secret with Aang...o.O I didn't put it there, because I'm not sure it fit, but It can be left to the wild imagination [Though I imagine Zuko spanking him for disobeying -lulz to self like n00b- owO]

I've also got a treat for you all! I've made a promotional poster on my deviantART account for this story! But, the problem is, I don't think I can hyperlink it, so if you want to see, I'll put it in a review, or a PM, if you would like! O.o I know I don't have a lot of supporters...but I thank you all anyway, because you keep me going. I hope something so small as this can blossom into something beautiful, and I"ll keep making sure it grows. In the mean time...enjoy! Owo

* * *

As soon as the ship had arrived on the port, Sokka was absolutely excited to get out and get into a nice, comfortable, and rather pampering place. He couldn't wait to get served hand and foot, getting some tea, a relaxing massage, and a good, old-fashioned foot scrub [They needed the love, too].

Instead, Zuko was serious the moment they set foot on the polished marble floors. He ordered the brunette to go get dressed in his warrior's uniform, and to double check that he had all the supplies he needed for a long trip. He groaned and mumbled inaudibly the whole time there. [Where was the pampering when he needed it?]

Of course, the mission was one that had unavoidable risk factors, and the fact that they were getting closer to the capital city every day was a threat to not just the Fire Nation, but the world itself. So without any say-so in the matter, he went along with it.

The departure had been bittersweet. He wasn't sure what had gone on, but as soon as they started to head down toward the courtyard for a war balloon, the raven had a long face put on. His shoulders slouched, and his feet almost dragged themselves the whole way there.

Even after a day and a half's worth of travel, Zuko was still wearing the same long face and the same slouched shoulders. Sokka was just hoping he would cheer up, and start to put his mind more into the mission. Despite how he tried to keep good spirits on it, nothing had changed since.

They sat in the comfortable silence, continuing forward through graying skies. The brunette was taking a high level of interest in the current book he was reading, tearing through pages of text with little time passed between each flick of the finger and the 'swoosh' of the paper.

He was enjoying what it had to say about strategic advice, but his mind couldn't ignore the image that it was receiving from the corner of his eye. He could see his friend, body half-way hanging over the basket that carried them. The raven was completely still, and the wind had dared not to make any movement against him.

He paused, and lowered the book, pouting slightly. He glanced down at the page and hesitated for a moment before he pinched the corner of the paper, folding it in, and shutting the book. Slowly, the brunette set it down and let his hand depart away from it before he stood up and walked over to the raven.

"Zuko…" Sokka started, trying to prod him into a conversation of some sort.

"What?" He turned around, tone mixed between tension and sleepiness.

His mouth opened, but shut itself quickly. He could see raven locks tasseled, and the bottom part of his eyelids colored in a light gray from lack of rest.

"Whoa…" Was the only word that managed to slip past him, before the brunette gathered a grip. He shook his head, trying to look past it. "You look like you haven't been sleeping that much. What have you been doing?"

"Thinking." His reply came out terse and strained.

"Thinking about what?"

"Nothing." The raven started to turn back around, before a hand on his shoulder prevented him from any such movement.

"I know it isn't nothing." He paused, before his tone became softer. "Is it…Mai?"

"What? No. I'm not worried about Mai. With my uncle helping her, they can manage any annoying documents that come their way. And if anything happens, they can handle themselves."

"Huh? Oh, I know that." Sokka shook his head. "I meant…do you miss her?"

In a typical response, the raven rolled his eyes. "Of course I do. But I'm not going to mope around about it all day and night. I can't."

"Then why haven't you been sleeping?"

There was a tense pause before Zuko sighed rather roughly. "…It doesn't matter."

"Matters to me."

"Fine. I'm just…worried."

"Just worried?" The brunette blinked a couple times, confused. All this time, the raven had been wearing a sullen face just because he was a little stressed? It couldn't have been that bad to have lacked that much sleep.

"It's more than you think it is." He answered, as if reading right off his friend's expression.

"Oh…"

Another sigh came from the raven, but it was more aggravated then the previous one.

"I'm feeling really pressured. I have to stop all of these guys from threatening any more of the land, or the people in it, and I have to make sure they don't get to the capital." Silence washed over for a moment, before Zuko pulled at a part of his hair in frustration.

"Sokka, my nation is being threatened. What the hell do I do?"

"You have to fight. That's why we're here."

"I know that!" His voice raised itself. The raven had just about enough with the way the brunette stayed so calm. "How are you not even freaking out about _any _of this?"

"Hey…" The hand on his shoulder started to rub. He wasn't too good with being sensitive, but he at least wanted to get a message across that he still cared. "I'm just about as anxious as you are, but if you keep worrying about it, you're not gonna get anywhere. If you're stressing out, then you won't be able to keep up and fight."

"Yeah…" He huffed again, throwing his arms up in defeat. "But it doesn't stop there, either. I couldn't stand to watch my nation fall. But I also couldn't stand to watch you go down with it. The worst case scenario is that you'll die. And if that happens, I'm not going to forgive myself."

The brunette raised his hands, as if surrendering to agree. "Hey, you don't have to worry about me. I'm sticking this out. It's you that you need to be concerned about. If you go, the nation will go no matter what I do. You're the important link in this, Zuko. You have to stop stressing."

The raven only folded his arms, looking unconvinced. Without saying another word, Sokka took him by the arm and dragged him over to the perfectly untouched makeshift bed and shoved him down…even if the raven didn't take too kindly to it.

"Hey!"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you do that?!?" He shouted, demanding an answer.

"You're going to sleep."

"And what makes you think I'm going to do that?"

"I'll…" The brunette paused, before his lips curved into a smirk. "I'll tell Katara what you did to Aang that one day…"

"…You wouldn't. It was an accident! He wouldn't stop running around!"

"Oh, I would. I mean, I do have concrete evidence…the Avatar himself." Zuko could have sworn he saw Sokka just rub his hands together, eyes glinting with mischief.

"I hope you fall out of the basket." He huffed, before giving in and laying down.

"I know you'll thank me later for this." He snickered, joyful at his quick scheme's success.

Zuko fell asleep without any more protests.

---

After several hours of rest, the raven had stirred from feeling moisture hit on his arms every now and then. He got on his knees before standing up, rubbing at his good eye. He wasn't sure, but he swore he saw the ground come closer…

"Hey! Did we get hit?" His body became stiff, instincts of defense triggered and alert.

"What? No. If we got hit, I would be screaming by now. I'm lowering the balloon."

"Why?"

"It's starting to rain. If we're still up there, we'll end up like fried leopard-seals."

"Right…" Zuko rolled his eyes again [Though it became more amused, like it usually was]. He turned to face the side, looking around.

"How far are we in enemy territory? Or are we even there?"

"Oh, we're not really far in, but this area is completely abandoned, so nobody should be there."

"Please tell me you have a plan." The raven pursed his lips, hoping that they weren't playing it by ear on this one.

"Of course I have a plan." The brunette pulled out a map of the Southern parts of the Fire Nation. "It's a simple one for our first attack. All we have to do is go to the very end, and work our way upward."

"…That doesn't sound like a good one. Shouldn't we attack them where they're at right now, and push them back?"

"That would be the typical idea, but there's a flaw in that plan that we don't have a chance against." Knowing an explanation was coming up, he folded his arms. [Sokka always took forever on these things]

"You see, if we take them at the frontline, they're going to summon up more troops. They have their soldiers spread out throughout the land in order to maintain order in the villages they take down. As soon as they call for help, we're outnumbered, and outmatched. If we start from the back, and take out the small number of guys in each village, the rest of them will slowly come backward after much suspicion, and then bam! We kick their sorry cans."

"Sometimes, you never cease to amaze me."

"I know." He smiled, pleased at the compliment. "But, that's not even the cool part. We can also stock up on food and supplies, and maybe try to find extra help while we're there."

"…Did I mention you never cease to amaze me sometimes?"

"Well, I don't mind hearing it again." He joked, nudging at his friend. A smirk curled up on the raven's lips, mirth glinting in his irises.

When the basket had hit the ground, both of the boys gathered what they had and sought out an empty hut to make use for until the storm passed.

Zuko tried hard not to pay attention to the surroundings. All he saw around him was ashen soil and smoldered piles of wood laying sadly in the rain. He shut his eyes after a bit, hoping they could hurry up and find a place. He was sick of seeing this already, and they hadn't been here for even a minute.

"Oof!"

The next thing he knew, the brunette had tripped over something, and ended up grabbing onto the raven for dear life.

"You idiot." He mumbled, shoving his friend off. "You have to be more careful. What did you even trip over?"

"I don't know…" Sokka turned around to get a good look at the object that made him stumble. As soon as he saw it, though, his jaw dropped, and his eyes widened a fair amount.

"What? What is it?"

Wondering what the brunette was gaping at, he took a look over his friend's shoulder, face falling quickly. When the tanned teen caught more out of his eye, he turned to the older, lips curved in the smallest of frowns.

"…I don't think this is the only one."

They had both done a double look of the empty village. It wasn't completely abandoned, for there were heaps of dead bodies laying around, flies buzzing around their corpses, and maggots taking their plentiful helpings.

In haste, Sokka snatched his friend's arm, tugging him. "We gotta go. This place is too depressing…"

The raven only dropped his stuff. He shut his eyes, tighter than he had before. He couldn't decipher the sight that was playing before him. This _wasn't _in his nation. This was…a mistake. He was still dreaming. Heck, he was still delusional from not getting enough sleep.

"I can't believe I let this happen. I failed."

"No. You'll only fail if you give up now. If you don't go on, more villages are going to be like this."

"…I know."

The brunette gave up on words. He dropped his stuff and put an arm around his friend's shoulders, head leaning softly on his shoulder. In response, he rested his head on top, and both had closed their eyes, letting the rain soak deep into their hair and clothing.

It was too much of a tortured departure.

* * *

**Importantsauce Ending Notes: **I thought the ending was the perfect chance to slip in a bit of a brotherly moment. O.o But, hey, one step at a time. -cackle- And now...

Review. o.O Don't make me tell...the...uh...Well, Dx, I don't know what excuse I got under my sleeve this time, except, I love reviews, and the review button loves clickers. o.O So be kind to your review button! Positive, uplifting reviews and helpful, concrete advice give an angel its wings. Owo I hope you loved it and enjoy the rest of your day!


	4. Loser Says What?

**Important Notes To Note: **Sorry for leavin' 'ya guys to hang there. Owo Didn't meant to leave my poor story hanging Dx. The reason was because I was trying to fill one more chapter in just before things began to heat up. Owo After getting some wheels cranked, I got this. Now, before anybody wants to know where the lovely bloody goodness is, I shall let you know that it will for sure at least pick up in the next chapter. owO I wanna make sure this is a good, leveled story. And now...for some plot explanations!

The part about learning from Suki and Ty Lee...I figured that it would be a.) Super awesome if Sokka could do something like that, but on a weaker scale and b.) Thought it was an additional skill that he could know. His ingenuity, swordsmanship, and plan-making skills are already invaluable, but to make a level playing field so that he could keep up with Zuko and his Firebending, I thought it might be good. I also think that c.) Since Suki sort of taught herself how to match Ty Lee in the prison, and that since Ty Lee is a Kyoshi warrior now, it might sort of fit in. Of course, if you don't think it really works, I will most certainly take it out and revise the chapter owO

I've been a bit lazy on this one, but I thought you should be informed that Sokka is hair-tieless. If that doesn't really roll with you, then you can totally ignore what I said and shoot me in the foot if you would like. owO Here's to hoping you enjoy!

* * *

After heading out from the desolate village [The brunette was just glad they got out quickly, since the rain stopped soon after] the two boys continued to travel until they stumbled on a rather reserved area with a large body of water. Sokka was glad it came up, thinking that they were going to stock up on some water, but his plan was busted the moment his friend caught foresight of it.

The raven insisted that he take a bath instead, [The brunette wasn't sure why, because he knew he bathed at least three days ago], and that the quiet location was going to be their camp for the night. He didn't quite like the idea, but when his ear was being pinched, and he was given _that _look, there was no way he was going to hear the end of it if he didn't agree.

He was, however, not about to go down without struggle. After landing and setting up camp, he made sure that Zuko promised to go in with him [He just _knew _that his friend probably hadn't bathed in at least four days, therefore, he couldn't stick him in that body of water without going in himself]. With a begrudging agreement and a 'I'll be there in a few', the brunette headed off to the lake.

Now in the water, Sokka waited around, keeping himself busy by splashing around in small pushes. He was already squeaky clean [if he didn't say so himself], and had been done for at least a good ten minutes. He figured that the raven was just taking his sweet time undressing, probably being embarrassed and what-not.

Even with the conceived belief, _too _much time had passed, and the brunette knew he was up to something beyond undressing. Grabbing a towel, he got out and tied the material around his waist before heading over to the softly lit tent.

Hoping not to disrupt anything, he carefully moved one side of the fabric door to the side, peering in.

"Hey, Zuko! What are you doing?"

With no answer, Sokka tentatively shied his head in, looking from left to right. Once he caught sight of his friend slumped on the ground with a scroll in hand, he let his lips curve slightly into a pout before heading in.

Even though he was forced to bathe, the brunette was planning on just relaxing, trying to unnerve the tension the raven held before they even began to formulate any specific ideas or plans. Seeing him slouched over his work with groggy eyes almost made him cringe. Zuko just worked too hard, sometimes.

"Hey!" He shook him, trying to take him out of his work. The raven shot up, looking around in a confused daze.

"Huh? What?"

"You fell asleep while reading…Wait, what exactly are you reading?" He peered in, trying to see what it was his friend was mauling over.

"A Firebending scroll." The raven frowned, hiding it away from sight.

"A Firebending scroll? Can I see?"

"No. You're not even a Firebender."

"That doesn't matter, at least, I don't think so." Sokka folded his arms, putting on a rather serious expression. Zuko knew his bluff was snuffed out.

"Okay…It's a document about food shortages in the Northern part of the Fire Nation, and droughts occurring in several Earth Kingdom cities."

The initial response was a frown [though it could have almost been a pout]. Cerulean hues shimmered in a mixture of confusion and worry.

"Zuko! You're not even in the capital right now! You can't be worrying about other issues at the moment! Besides, your uncle and Mai have everything under control. I'm sure they do."

"…I know. It's just, they might need my help. I'm running the nation, so it's my problems. Not theirs, and not yours."

"Hey…" The brunette started, trying to run up to speed the words he needed in his mind. "You're my friend, and I don't wanna see you stressed and tired. You've gotta be prepared for the fight."

"I know." The raven grinded out in an irate response. "But that doesn't mean I can't take care of other issues. I'll just send my responses by mail and then action can be taken. My nation is still recovering just as much as any other, Sokka. I can't just leave it."

"I know…" He sat down, lightly grabbing onto the parchment and sneaking it away from his friend's lap, then rolled it up and sat it to the side.

"But you're only one person. You have help at the capital. They can take care of it. You just need to relax as much as you can and prepare yourself."

"I am prepared."

"Not mentally. You're fatigued, and worried. Right now, you just need to relax."

"How do I do that?" He rubbed a hand through his hair, giving a frustrated sigh. "I already have too much on my mind."

"I know. That's why if your relax, you can take all that off of your mind." The brunette tugged on his sleeve. "Come on. You can go in the lake with me and we could…just talk about stuff. Besides, you need a bath anyway."

"Do not. I bathe at least once every day." Sokka broke out into a challenging smirk.

"Oh yeah? Then how have you been bathing for the past few days? Have you been dumping the bottles of water all over yourself when I was asleep?"

"What? No, that would be nasty. I'm not that public about myself."

"Point taken. You have to bathe, and you need to relax."

"But I still have-"

Before he knew it, he had been jabbed in the shoulder, but it was a soft tap more then anything. He wondered if that was a friendly nudge or a serious attempt to hurt him.

"What was that?"

"A nudge."

"Tch. You're still an idiot." The raven rolled his eyes, smirking a little. He started to raise his arms, stretching off the sleepiness that lingered, but only his left arm had gone upward. His right arm had felt like there was a ton weighing down on it, but without any pain.

In confusion, he looked to the brunette. "What happened? What did you do?"

"What? Nothing. I just hit you with a little jab."

"I can't move my arm."

"It probably fell asleep."

"I didn't feel any numbness in it."

"Maybe it just fell asleep, and you didn't know it."

"Sokka, don't play smart with me."

"What? I'm not playing smart!" He raised his hands, looking innocent as he did so. "I'm just telling you what I think happened!"

As soon as those words had come out, the brunette had put one foot in the grave. He got that look. Oh, was Zuko giving _that _look. The look that held the most ferocious set of golden-copper irises he'd ever seen, and the most stiff set of lips that didn't even flinch. With his left arm, the raven snatched onto his friend's ear and gave it a hard twist, making the body lean downward.

"You did something to my arm." He said, rather calmly. It was that kind of anger that was even more terrifying then his flash-bang fury. "I would like to know what it is…" He twisted harder, earning a [manly] yip. "…Before I rip your ear off."

"Zuko, did I ever tell you that you're my best friend? I mean, sure, Aang and Toph are great, and Katara is fun to talk to, but you…oh, you are just the man."

The flattery earned another twist.

"Okay, okay! I went to Kyoshi Island after the war with Suki. I wanted to get more training, so she taught me all the new things she learned, and since Ty Lee is also a Kyoshi Warrior, she helped me. They both taught me how to hit chi points, and I know how to block most of them. Isn't it awesome?" The last part of the sentence came out as a pleading whimper, hoping the raven would let go.

Sokka got his foot out of the grave, letting out a 'phew' in relief.

"You learned how to block off chi points like Ty Lee?" His features went from _that _look to surprise. "I didn't know that."

"Yeah, I was there for five months learning it. I went off to find my sword afterward, and I barely got back to the South Pole three weeks ago. Lucky you caught me, or I would've been off somewhere else."

Zuko raised his brow. "So, does that mean you can bend every which way and do fifty crazy flips in one move?"

"What are you, crazy? I'd end up breaking my back or something!" The brunette rapidly shook his head at such an idea. "But, I can do cartwheels, some handsprings, and some flips."

Honestly, the raven was glad Sokka had picked up on those kinds of things. Those talents would certainly be invaluable to their mission.

"Does this mean we're best friends now?" He gave a lopsided grin, hoping this would pry the raven away from any more forms of torture.

"What?" He paused, and then smirked, preparing to lie. "No."

"Hey!" The brunette fake pouted, looking hurt. "But…you invited me on this mission."

"Everybody else was busy." Zuko got up, brushing his currently dead arm off.

"So what if Aang wasn't at the North Pole?"

The raven shoved his friend out, stripping down to nothing before he took hold of the second towel. He headed outside, smirk still plastered onto his features.

"Are you kidding? I would have invited him already."

"Oh yeah? Bet he doesn't have the mad skills I do."

"Maybe he can't cut off chi, or handle a sword, but he can control all four elements. I think that's a major bonus right there."

"Yeah, that is a bonus…" He nodded in agreement, but grinned again and nudged his friend with his elbow. [The brunette figured Zuko didn't need another dead limb or anything]

"But I can read maps and plan strategies like I was sleeping. I don't think Aang can do that."

"I could have taken somebody else along."

"This is only a two-man entourage. That means by inviting me, you are my best friend." A tally went off in the brunette's head. Sokka: 1, Zuko: 0.

"What if…I took Toph? She can't read, but she can think quickly."

"Yeah…but, she doesn't have the ingenuity that I do. Face it, Zuko. You so need me for this."

"Tch." He snatched the towel off of the brunette and shoved him in the water. "You aren't my best friend. I'm sorry you have to hear that, but it's true."

Sokka emerged from the depths of the water and spit it out, quickly removing the towel from his friend before yanking him right in.

"That's okay. I know you didn't tell me one of your personal secrets because I'm not your best buddy. I can live with that."

"I'm sure you can." There was a quiet, subtle pause, before the two broke out into a set of smiles.

"So…"

"Yeah…I'll race you."

"Loser says what!" The brunette shoved him away and dived underneath the water before Zuko had time for a response. He dived after, determined not to be beaten.

He was most prepared not to be the loser that said what.

* * *

**Ending Notes To Note: **There 'ya have it! Owo I hope I did okay...o.O, and that everybody who reads, reviews, and all that awesomeness is still lovin' it! There will be bloodshed...o.O Just have to pace through it. And now...

Review. I haven't an excuse for this one...oh, wait! Got it! Review, or I am forced to tell Zuko that nobody loves him, and that will make him sad. Would you like to see that? I didn't think so Dx. No, just kidding [lamely]. Owo Positive, uplifting reviews and helpful, constructive advice will ensure that half-naked dudes and/or ladies appear at your door [Not really -lamely lulz to self-] Owo. I hope you enjoy the rest of your day!


	5. Ambush

**Awesome Notes Of Awesome: **Owo I bet you did not see this coming. Update! Yay for updates! -does the Friendly Mushroom dance- Anyway, it is time for what the heck is going on information time o.O.

The first part with Zuko having some of Mai's weapons and knowing how to use them is based on the same foundation that Sokka learned from Suki [Gotta give a little credit to the ladies here owO]. Even though Mai can't learn Firebending, it doesn't mean Zuko can't pick up on a neat little trick himself. The difference is, however, Zuko isn't the fastest of the learners. He is for sure, clever and quick to improvise, but when it comes to working at something like this, or his Firebending, he had to struggle to understand and become better. But that makes him awesome anyway, yes? Yes? -shot- Dx Okay, maybe not -shot again- My reason for this is to stay as well aligned to the foundation of the characters as I can. I hope I did okay on that. Of course, if the idea doesn't sit well with my readers, I'll revise it owO

I know this is long, and it's still not very action-y, but this is the foreshadowing chapter. Oh, see, I used a fancy word. I think that should get me somewhere -shot- Dx. I had to try my lame humor, at least! owO -lulz to self- But this is the chapter that is absolutely, for sure, totally, one-hundred percent guaranteed to bring it up to action in the next chapter, no exceptions. I'm sorry I had to bore you all [Dx I'm so grateful you still stick with me so], but I'm kind of a planner lady. owO I don't want to jump from them having fun to them suddenly kicking the holy butt off of soldiers, so I needed to put a forewarning on there.

But, enough of my babbling. Here's to hoping you enjoy!

* * *

A set of hands had started to dig through the large bag of maps and written-out strategies as Zuko set too look for an update on their current location.

"You have too many maps in this bag." He mumbled, glaring at the material as if it had created some sort of personal offense.

"Hey! I just happen to come…extra prepared."

The raven smirked, grabbing the needed map. He let it fall open before starting to plan out the route they were one, and where it would take them.

"Remember what I said about thinking things out too much?"

"Yeah! I just…well, I had those maps long before you told me that, so…" His friend stuck out his tongue, taking in another victory before a hand snatched onto his leg, making him fall forward on his face.

"That's what you get for walking on your hands." The Fire Lord hadn't bothered to even move his eyes, smirk growing wider as he pulled the paper down. "I don't need two Ty Lee's, anyway. I think one is enough."

With a few [mostly] inaudible groans, Sokka had gotten up from his fall, brushing off his pants before he stuck his tongue out again, but in a more teasing manner. "I know that you're just a little jealous of me, Zuko. I mean, how many people can actually walk on their hands for that long?"

"The last person I would be jealous of is you. I think I'd rather be serving fruits on the street before I was you."

In mock seriousness, the brunette put his hand on his chest, mouth gaping wide as he gasped. "How could you say that? I thought we were friends! Why, not even that! I thought we were _best _friends!"

"Idiot." It was hard to drop the curve in his lips when his friend was so amusing. His jokes were bad, but his bad luck and the fact that the universe seemed to have it against him never stopped making smiles. "I thought I told you we weren't best friends."

"Well, maybe I just heard wrong."

"Or, maybe not at all."

"Hey, hey! I will totally bring out more Ty Lee on you if I have to!"

Before Sokka could take in another breath, Zuko snatched his ear with great haste and pinched it until he was able to lower the younger teen, making him twitch in pain. It was something the brunette was [slowly] starting to get used to, [even if it still hurt like crazy] but there was something different about his tactic. Instead of it just being two fingers, it was his whole hand, and there was a cold, [and rather sharp] object resting in his palm.

"What is that?" He inquired, trying to get a peek at whatever it was the raven was holding.

"What?"

"In your hand. It feels sharp…Is that your sword?"

"No." The brunette let out a relieved sigh and wiped his forehead for an all-clear as Zuko showed him the possession he was holding.

"Woah!" He jumped back slightly, surprised that his friend even had it from the start. "That's Mai's sharp knife-thing!"

The raven resisted the urge to roll his eyes and settled for a soft chuckle instead. "Yes, but it's called a stiletto."

"You know how to use her weapons?"

"Yeah. She's been showing me on and off before the war was over, and after that, I've been really trying to pick up on it ever since. There is a thing or two I'm still working on, but I've got it down."

Sokka ended up having to think of something to say that would accommodate for words. He had no idea that he wasn't the only one picking up new habits, but he knew he couldn't be any more excited that in the up-coming battle, their skills were more rounded to handle more things thrown at them.

"So…" The brunette looked around, examining the surfaces of the trees around them. "How accurate do you think you are with those things?"

"Pretty." The small weapon glinted as the sun rose, its light, musty colors bleeding as it rested on one of the mountain tops. "Why?"

"I think I'd like a demonstration."

He reached into the bag and searched through the large collection of maps before coming upon an outdated one of the Western Earth Kingdom. He pulled out a small jar of sealed ink and a brush, prying the lid open. Once the wooden lid was off, and the brush dabbed, he painted a fair-sized circle in the center of the closed parchment.

"Okay." Sokka held the old map up, waving it about with a slight smirk [He just knew that there was no way Zuko could even come close to the mark] "If you can hit this in the black dot, I'll do all of the camp work for two whole days. But if you miss, then you can't hit, pinch, elbow, or perform any kind of abuse on me for three days."

The raven raised his eyebrow, but let a smirk wash over his own features. "You're on."

The brunette proceeded over to the flattest surface there [which was a growing redwood tree] and held it up a few inches away from the tree. The raven stood a good several feet away from the map and prepared the stiletto in hand.

It had taken a couple of moments for Zuko to be ready, but once he began to move, it had almost become slow motion. He let his arm swing back to face away from him before throwing it forward, pinning the paper to the bark as it flew from the brunette's finger tips.

"That was amazing!" Sokka had to admit, being able to do that from quite a distance on a small piece of paper took a serious amount of accuracy in itself. "But I bet you didn't hit it."

"I bet I did." He folded his arms and waited for the brunette to take notice. Once his cerulean irises found themselves staring at the same red-tinted dagger that had just been in the raven's hand, now pinned in the black dot, his jaw dropped considerably.

"How did you do that? That was just…that was awesome!"

"It takes practice." Zuko separated the stiletto from the paper, putting it back in a specially-made case that was held in his pocket. He didn't have any long sleeves to conceal the weapons, so the majority of them went in the containers, but there were many quick ones on hand hidden in the folds of his tunic, under his sash, and even near the rim of his boots.

"It took me a few weeks to get the hang of throwing them right, and then a couple months to even be as closely accurate as I was just now."

"How far away can you be to throw them?"

"As far as I have to. I can go about the same distance as Mai can. I'm still trying to throw them at angles and make them bounce on surfaces so they can hit their target when stuck in tricky places."

The brunette nodded, taking all of this into consideration as he rubbed the underside of his chin with two fingers. It only took him just a few days to get the hang of hitting a couple of body parts accurately, but it took the raven a few weeks to even understand the basics.

It wasn't to say Zuko was stupid. It was actually the opposite. He was very quick to improvise and made best with any situation on hand by being quick and clever, but when introduced to any new concept, it took him a little bit to become a well-rounded person of that art. Although once he got the catch of something, he went on from there, and became very well-practiced.

Mulling it over brought a small smile to his lips. He couldn't deny it, he [and Team Avatar itself] needed the raven. Everybody was quick to pick up on the things they're good at now, but the Fire Lord struggled. He always struggled, and still did a little, but all that hard work certainly made a fine Firebending master.

"Hey…I've got a deal for you."

"What? You wanna strike another one? You already have to do all the camp work for two days."

"No, no, not that." Sokka waved his hands and shook his head. "I meant, a win-win kind of deal."

There was a pause, before the raven raised his eyebrow again. "What do you have in mind?"

"Teach me how to throw a few of those babies, and I'll teach you how to walk on your hands. I might throw in a couple of chi blocking points, too."

"Sounds good, but I don't want to walk on my hands. I think I like my feet better."

"Okay…well, then I can teach you how to balance on four fingers instead! See, check it out!" In an instant, the brunette flipped back on four fingers, two on each hand, with no problem maintaining such balance.

"Are you sure you can't bend in every unimaginable direction? From the looks of it, they taught you more then you said."

"Well…maybe not a lot, but I had to start with being all acrobat-y and agile if I wanted to learn. Out-maneuvering the opponent is important with this skill. Once they understand the dynamics of the style, they can predict it, and you gotta be able to keep them on their knees and surprised if it's gonna be successful."

"Sokka, I think you talk to hear yourself." Even though the raven listened, he couldn't help but think the brunette had to have a grandiose explanation for just about everything.

"It's hard not to. I have a naturally suave voice."

"Only you." He shook his head, toppling the brunette over. "Only you. C'mon, we gotta hurry up and get to the village."

The tribesman fell back on his feet and was up in a matter of seconds, both continuing on forward.

"Okay…we're right…" Zuko pointed at a spot on the map. "There. I think it's coming up ahead. Just ten more minutes of walking."

"You know, I am so glad you can read a map! It makes it easier to devise strategies like that!" The brunette exaggerated, a relieved grin on his face. Although he did love reading a map and pinning locations with no problem, he also had to be the tactician, so not having as many things on his plate was a relief.

"I had to know where I was going out on sea. Sometimes those navigators aren't as professional as they seem."

The raven rolled the map back up and put it away. The rest of the way there had become fairly silent as they both slowly began to sink into devising a way to liberate their first village. The goal was to get the four large cities free first, so if any soldiers or benders were there, they would hopefully be willing to help.

Once there, the two boys sat down on the hillside and began working out the territory from a birds-eye view.

"Okay. Team Zukka is about to go into action!"

"…Team what?" Zuko itched his head, confused. They had their own team name separate from the already goofy one the whole gang had?

"Well, you know. Since you and I seem to go on the really dangerous missions, I thought we should have a name separate from Team Avatar."

"What does the name even mean?"

"It's exactly how it sounds. Your name goes before mine. See? It makes it even more special."

The raven's brow perked once more, before he began to think it over. After a few moments, he nodded. "I think I can actually go for that."

Sokka pumped his fist in the air before bringing it down, cheering himself on for being so brilliant. After a few moments of self-congratulating [and a hard punch to the shoulder], he snapped back to the mission on hand.

"Alright, here's the deal. Since this is a large city, I figure there's gotta be a fair amount of rebellion troops. Most of the villages here aren't that large, but they have a lot of useful natural resources, so there's probably about twenty…maybe thirty guys there, unless that village is useless. In a place like this, there's probably about fifty or sixty of them. It might even be almost a hundred, but their army so far is small, and they gotta be careful about dividing the troops up."

"What's your proposition?"

The brunette pulled a blank paper from the bag along with the ink and brush. After drawing out a crude, but effective strategy, he demonstrated it to the raven.

"We've got two options. The first one is a coup. We sneak in, take out a couple of the troops, and assimilate into the rebellion. Once we secure our position, we can start taking them out."

"What about the second?"

"I'm thinking there's several campsites settled in the city. We can go around one by one and take them down. Honestly, that's the faster option, but it can be more dangerous if word gets out."

"It's faster…" The raven agreed, examining the parchment. "But which is better?"

"Either or. It's your choice, Zuko. You're the leader."

"No." He shook his head, placing the paper back down. "It's only you and me right now, Sokka. Neither one of us are any more powerful than the other. It's your call as much as mine."

The brunette pursed his lips before he rolled the paper back up. He took several minutes to weigh over the decision before he could come to one.

"I hope you sharpened those stilettos of yours." A small smile formed on his features.

"We're about to go on an ambush."

* * *

**Ending Awesome Notes Of Awesome: **Aw yeah, Sokka being the man with the plan. -waggle waggle- Owo Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. I don't have much to say here, but...

Review. You help these guys stay as awesome as they do when you review. The poor green button loves it, they love it...hey, who doesn't love it? O.o My point being made -shot- Dx Okay, that isn't cool, man. Owo Anyway, positive, uplifting reviews and constructive, helpful advice makes this lazy writer get off her bum more. Enjoy the rest of your day!


	6. This Means War

**Awesome Notes Of Awesome: **Oh yeah, update of win coming your way. owO Please feel free to be blown away. O.o It is time to tell you some important things, but not what you're used to!

I'm not going to tell you what's going on until the end. Two things I'm aiming to fix or improve: Using more pronouns so it's not stale, and not spoiling the chapter until you read through it. owO I sort of prefer to give you a fill in as to what's going on so when you read, you don't look like a meteor came and hit your neighbor's house [lulzy n00b humor], but I think others might prefer to be surprised, so I won't say. If you don't really want this method, I will for sure change it, but if you like it, then...owO Well, just enjoy! Read on, one must!

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The soft, murky-like clouds that brushed over the sky had hung over-head, camouflaging the city in a dull, but quiet gray. The residents had still been asleep, and even the troops were hardly moving about, knowing that none of the people had the guts to dare attempt some sort of escape.

One of the campsites were perched on the edge of the Southeast borderline, sharing hushed murmurs between them as the fire in the center began to dim. There were only ten guards, but they were all highly capable warriors and benders, assigned to keep careful watch of anybody that would attempt to sneak though.

Even though only so many could keep watch, they had established a well-thought out system with several guard towers and quick-to-reach communication. It seemed simple, but it was the perfect way to trick just about any attempts of overthrowing their rule.

Knowing the factors made a couple of beads of sweat roll down Zuko's pale complexion. His lips twitched slightly, but remained stiff. His golden-copper eyes looked on at the small amount of guards keeping watch. Every movement he and his friend made could be a potential disaster into being caught, so no step was wasted.

The raven's hand carefully moved over a lone stiletto that was hidden in the fold of his tunic, making sure that every last dagger was in place before looking to the Water Tribe teen in assurance. As soon as the brunette was hidden, he moved his hand forward and nodded, ushering the Fire Lord on.

Zuko casually approached the small group, putting on a small smile. They looked over, some raising their eyebrows before the leader approached the civilian.

"What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be in the city getting ready to shovel more coal?"

"Oh, I'm not from the city. I got lost trying to head to the capital. On my way, though, I saw a small fire going, and thought maybe somebody would be here, so I came over to see if I could ask for directions."

"I understand." He nodded, before pulling out a map. He turned it upside down in his direction so the young man could get a clear picture. He carefully pointed out the right way, and tucked the parchment back in his armor as soon as he could see clarity come over the raven's features.

"Best get out of here, son. Stay here any longer and you could get in trouble." One of the men warned, a stern look washing over his once relaxed face. Zuko nodded, eyes darting over in the direction that the brunette had hidden himself. At this action, the guards raised their brow, before the Fire Lord turned to smile at them.

"Sorry," He started, hand reaching in his tunic. It held a single stiletto, before his fingers brushed over the end and revealed all of the others hidden behind it.

"But I have to take my city back." Before any of them could position themselves to attack, or run back to their tent and grab a weapon, the raven threw the lithe weapons at two of the guards, shoving them into a tree with their sleeves and pants pinned.

The hidden figure grinned before he leapt up from the bushes, flipping over one of the men that were prepared to get in contact with a guard tower. A couple of swift punches to his back and he was rendered incapacitated on the ground in an instant.

All five of the benders in the group threw their arms forward, flames beginning to propel from their fists. They paused for a moment when the young man seemed to run forward at them, but they quickly regained momentum and started to Firebend at the body.

Sokka fell backward on his hands, pushing himself back on his feet. He back flipped over the guards, landing nimbly on his feet before quickly taking out all of the bodies with swift jabs.

Knowing they were the only two left, the two men looked at each other in surprise before they looked forward at the two boys. They put on a serious expression as they both held out their spears.

For a moment, they were certain they could have taken a couple of teenagers out, but just before they could move, they had been slammed into the other tree with a set of sai.

"Alright! I'd have to say that was a job well done, don't you think, Zuko?"

"Tch." The Fire Lord rolled his eyes at the cheer. "There were only ten of them."

"It was the most amount of excitement I think we'll get for the day, though."

Zuko groaned. He had been nervous all this time, and so far, all they had to do was handicap ten guards. "Yeah…I guess…Sokka, what are you doing?"

The brunette was snickering as he picked up two limp bodies next to each other in a particularly awkward position. "Oh, nothing."

"You realize we have to tie them up and hide them somewhere, right?"

"Yeah, I know. But what's an ambush without a little fun?" The raven rolled his eyes again, but smiled a little after he saw the "handi-work" of the tribesman. The men shot glares at Sokka, somehow hoping he would disappear. They were humiliated at being defeated in the first place.

"Aw, lighten up." He said, pulling out some rope. [He was always prepared for instances like this]. The brunette tied their wrists and feet together. He tore off clothing from their pants and tied it around their mouths before dragging them to a bush.

"I can't believe we have to make camp here." Zuko mumbled while he tied up the pinned men.

"What's not to believe? We already have a tent, and plenty of firewood. All we need to do is go fishing near the river and we've got it made for a couple of days."

"I know, but there's going to be ten guys tied up in the bushes where we sleep. I don't know if that makes me feel safe."

"Don't worry, this rope is some high quality. Them trying to get out is like a hog monkey taking on Appa."

After tying the guards up, they both dragged them in the bushes, making sure they were well hidden. The younger brushed off his hands, a pleased smile washing over his lips. "That takes care of that. It looks like we have all day today to relax."

"Sounds like a plan, but…what are we going to do for the rest of the day?"

"Hm…" The brunette's features shifted into considerable thought, fingers tapping on his chin before his cerulean irises widened, a large, goofy grin in place.

"Zuko, I don't think we ever really did go fishing…"

---

It was fortunate that the border of the city had a large river running through it, because the men they ambushed were virtually out of food [Sokka placed his money that those guys ate all of the good stuff just to mock them, or the universe was being a bit sadistic], so obtaining something to eat was a top priority.

"This is the life." The brunette mumbled [maybe a bit too loudly] to himself as he stretched his hands overhead. The raven, however, didn't seem as thrilled to be standing shirtless in the middle of a cold river.

"Yeah. It's a complete joy." He jeered, golden-copper eyes rolling for the third time that day.

The younger didn't reply, but instead had his eyes carefully on a single koi fish that swam around his feet. Deep in concentration, he made his body stiff before he hastily snatched at the aquatic animal. Fish in hand, he put two fingers on its bottom lip and made it speak.

"Now now, Zuko, you don't have to be grumpy."

"Sokka, quit making that fish talk."

"What?!?" The brunette's fingers made the fish open his mouth wide, gaping at the Fire Lord like he had slapped him in the face. "How dare you think I can't talk! I don't even know this 'Sokka' that you speak of!"

The koi fish was starting to struggle, in need of his water in order to breathe. He slapped the tribesman in the face with his tail before diving back in. "Hey! You're not supposed to run away!" He pouted, scoping out the sly koi. As soon as he caught sight, he quickly grasped the fish once more, smirking in victory.

"You can't get away from me so easily." He mocked, pointing at the aquatic animal. Zuko raised his eyebrow, but a plan had come to mind. He took the fish away from his friend and pinched the bottom of his lips the way Sokka had earlier.

"Well, maybe _you _shouldn't be so mean to your friend, and then maybe I won't have to run away from you." His action earned a very surprised brunette. He put his hand on his chest, pouting with all the sincerity he could muster.

"But…but…I thought you didn't like Zuko!" The raven could have sworn he would mistake his friend for an insane teenager if he already didn't know him fairly well.

"Zuko over here is nicer to me then you are." He smirked, before taking the koi over to the shore. He placed the fish in the bag that the guards had in one of their tents. "And so I rest my case."

"Hey, at least I let the guy breathe for a moment. You just killed the poor thing."

"It's a form of meat."

"…That is true. But! I so totally caught him. You're hogging credit for stealing my fish."

"Who said I was stealing credit?" The Fire Lord raised his eyebrow again, but in a more humored way as he returned back to the river.

"Hey! You never know!"

They both glanced at each other before smiling. Even though there was still a lot of time in the day to be spent, Zuko didn't think he'd want to be spending it any other way.

---

For the rest of the day, the two boys had spent their time getting as much fish as they could, and showing each other a couple of tricks they both knew. The sun was starting to set, and after they had kept the firewood set and ready, the two of them were spent out.

"I didn't know throwing those things were that hard." The brunette wiped a bead of sweat from his forehead. "It's like throwing a pin at a tiny hole."

"You'll get used to it. Maybe if you understand it enough, you might be able to keep a couple with you in battle just in case."

"You'd let me have a couple? Really?" The raven looked over to his friend, seeing a brilliant sparkle start up in his irises. A small smile found itself on his lips.

"Well…you are my friend. I trust you."

Sokka smiled back before he got up from his position. He fell back onto his fingers, then shifted so his forearms made contact with the ground. His legs bent over and forward, hanging near his head.

"What are you doing?" The raven was taken aback at how easily he could keep his balance on just the front part of his arms.

"What?" The Water Tribe teen was puzzled. Was there something on his face, or in his hair?

"You're balancing on your forearms alone?"

"Yeah. It's really not hard. You just have to figure out the right proportions."

"I really am going to have a second Ty Lee…" The Fire Lord put his hand on his forehead, shaking it. Despite his disbelief, he still had a slight upward curve in his lips, golden-copper irises glinting with amusement.

"Hey, I might have a second Mai for a friend. Before you know it, you'll start complaining about how boring everything is. In fact, you were complaining about how there were only ten guards earlier."

"Was not." The raven argued.

"Was too."

"Not."

"Too."

"Not."

"Too."

In response, Zuko moved over closer so he could grab a hold of his favorite torture spot.

"Ow! That hurts, that hurts, that hurts…" Despite the pain, Sokka was not about to give in this time. He flipped down on his stomach and sat up, quickly jabbing the raven in the shoulder. His arm went limp, before it fell down. He received a nasty, but light-humored glare.

"Hey, you were asking for it."

"It's okay. I just hope you don't fall asleep first…" The tone was laced with dark humor. It was so dark, it made the brunette cower a little.

"Zuko…I thought we talked about this before."

"What?"

"About…y'know. Friends? Right? Joke?" He nudged the raven, but his features didn't change. Instead, a wicked smirk came over. It was the first evil kind of a look Sokka would ever see in his team member.

Despite it, the tribesman chose to ignore it, thinking that the Fire Lord had no intention to go through with anything. Even though he assured himself that, he more than surprised to wake up stark naked in the river. With a slight pout and folded arms, the brunette went to work to think of a come back for this humiliation.

This had meant war.

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**Ending Awesome Notes of Awesome: **owO Oh yeah, because nothing is more fun then torturing our favorte Water Tribe guy. o.O Anyway! Just a bit of a fill in!

...Owo Actually, there isn't much to fill you in on. Just an ambush on the dudes, a bit more friendship bonding via fishing and training, along with a bit of a prankster war begining to emerge. o.O What will happen next chapter? Will those guys escape? Will Sokka get his revenge? And is Zuko laughing it up in his tent? Why am I asking you this, you have no idea until this lazy bum updates! [more humor for your lulzing pleasure owO] But now...

Review. o.O All your awesome reviews make me more awesomely motivated to bring you more Zukka friendship, action-y goodness, and everything in between. Positive, uplifting reviews and helpful, concrete advice put that frosting all up on the cake. Enjoy the rest of your day!


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